drying bud ouside in colder temps

This is my first grow year and will be my first harvest in late september / early october and i cant dry inside my garage or house because my parents.
I'm wondering if i could put rope between trees and hang the bud outdoors? Would the temp matter? ( I would say it gets between 50-65degrees in michigan in the fall ) and I would put a tarp over the bud just in case rain or snow.

--- Would this work??

"For best results, drying should be slow. Ideal air temperature is between 65 and 75 F (18-24 C) and humidity from 45 to 55 percent. Temperatures below 65 F (18 C) slow drying, and humidity often climbs quickly. Humidity above 80 percent extends drying time and makes the threat of bud mold imminent."

- Cervantes, Jorge. MARIJUANA Horticulture The Indoor/Outdoor MEDICAL Grower's Bible. Van Patten Publishing, 2006. Print. (pg. 87)

If you must do it outdoors, I would build some sort of temporary set-up to keep them warmer and protected from sunlight, rain, and contaminants.

I'm not going to water the plants for 2 weeks right before harvest so as little mostiure as possable is present to i can prevent mold growth
I dont know the average humidity for michigan in the fall
I am going to cure in jars for 2 - 4 weeks to maximize the flavor and smoothness

im going to have a tarp up and hang the bud under it

debruyn51 said:

I'm not going to water the plants for 2 weeks right before harvest so as little mostiure as possable is present to i can prevent mold growth
I dont know the average humidity for michigan in the fall
I am going to cure in jars for 2 - 4 weeks to maximize the flavor and smoothness

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Please do not do this. Continue to water your plants.

http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Michigan/humidity-october.php

Average relative humidity (%) in October said:

Daily	Place	Morning	Afternoon
76	Alpena	86	61
72	Detroit	84	55
73	Flint	84	58
75	Grand Rapids	85	60
77	Houghton Lake	88	62
76	Lansing	87	60
74	Muskegon	83	63
80	Sault Ste Marie	89	67

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As you can see, your risk of bud mold with your current plan is very high.

That's alot of good informtion WayBaked thank you, my only option is stealth drying because of my parents and they know what bud smells like cause they smoke.
Because it will be outside then their will be a breeze always going to hopfully prevent mold growth also.
Are there any other methods i could do, i've heard about skipping the drying process and using mainly curing, is that a good method?
I heard that not watering your plants for 1-2 weeks before harvest can help with the drying process for those who cant upright han and dry in thier home

debruyn51 said:

That's alot of good informtion WayBaked thank you, my only option is stealth drying because of my parents and they know what bud smells like cause they smoke.
Because it will be outside then their will be a breeze always going to hopfully prevent mold growth also.
Are there any other methods i could do, i've heard about skipping the drying process and using mainly curing, is that a good method?
I heard that not watering your plants for 1-2 weeks before harvest can help with the drying process for those who cant upright han and dry in thier home

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You are outdoors right? I'm not sure how long they can last outdoors without water, 2 weeks just sounds excessive. My knowledge is limited mostly to indoors though, so I'm not sure.

You will have to build an area for the bud to dry. Be creative. I'll give you a general idea:

Take a large rubbermaid container, drill holes in it for airflow, cover the inside with bug netting (fine black bug netting would be best, keep out pests and block sunlight, beware of blocking airflow with thick materials, on a budget stockings stretched across the holes should work fine), put the lid on the container. If it is not windy enough, add a battery-powered fan to improve airflow. I would install some sort of netting or racks to lay the bud on the allow airflow all around the bud or hang the bud from the top of the container via hanging lines across the top, but you could simply place the bud into paper bags inside the container.

The lower temperatures will help protect you from mold, but the high humidity will be a huge problem. Try to find ways to keep the containers as warm as possible (do not set them directly on the floor, insulate the bottom and if possible the sides).

I wouldn't begin curing without drying, you will just increase your risk of mold by sealing the humidity in the jar. Curing requires low (but present) moisture.

_Outside yes, i try to water my plants every other day because it is the middle of sumemr but towards the fall the sun is not as intense so they dont dry out as fast_
.. I've heard off that method building rubbermaid drying boxes and that sounds like a pretty good idea, i've also heard of people just using carboard boxes with holes in the side and hanging bud in there..
I'm sure i will build or think of somthing as drying will take less than a week i'm sure and i dont think curing produces alot of smell so i can do that inside

debruyn51 said:

_Outside yes, i try to water my plants every other day because it is the middle of sumemr but towards the fall the sun is not as intense so they dont dry out as fast_
.. I've heard off that method building rubbermaid drying boxes and that sounds like a pretty good idea, i've also heard of people just using carboard boxes with holes in the side and hanging bud in there..
I'm sure i will build or think of somthing as drying will take less than a week i'm sure and i dont think curing produces alot of smell so i can do that inside

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With the humidity you will be expecting outside, drying will be greatly slowed. I give plants at least 7-10 days drying at 55%, you will be facing 65-85%+.

Cardboard would work, but again, anything you can do to protect the plants more from the elements will improve your results, and rubbermaid containers would be more easily re-used at a later date if needed.

if it comes down to it i might use the rubbermaid method and the hanging under a tarp, and maybe the cardboard boxes so i can test which method i should use next year --

thanks alot WayBaked

debruyn51 said:

if it comes down to it i might use the rubbermaid method and the hanging under a tarp, and maybe the cardboard boxes so i can test which method i should use next year --

thanks alot WayBaked

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Good luck, and remember, if you do get mold, you can still save the unaffected bud. Hopefully you can save your entire harvest though.

Best thing you can do is increase airflow as much as you can. You can't control the temps/humidity nearly as much as the airflow. Look into a battery-powered fan of some sort or find a really windy spot.